Auxiliary accelerator



Bec.1 4 1923.

F. T. FRDRICH AUXILIARY AGGELERATOR Filed Sept. 9, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1ltr Dec., 4 1923'.

F. T. FRIDRCH AUXILIARY ACGELERATQR Filed Sept. 9. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2l Patented ee.. 4i, i223.

entre "rar Nl?. 'E'. FRDREGl-, 0F NORTH BEND, NEBRASKA..

AUXKLARY ACCELERATOE..

Application med September 9, 1922 Serial No. 587,087.

To all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that ll, FRANK T. FRIDRICH,

a citizen of the United States, residing at North Bend, in the county ofDodge and State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful improvementsin Auxiliary Accelerators, of which the following isy aspeclication.

This invention .relates to control devices for motor vehicles, and moreparticularly to an attachment adapted to permit the driver of thevehicle to control the speed of the motor by using either foot.

In the use oitv motor vehicles, particularly on long trips, the footwhich operates the accelerator becomes cramped, and it is `customary forthe driver to .use the hand throttle, although, were it not for the socalled drivers cramp, the operator would prefer to control the speed ofthe motor by means of the foot. This is much more convenient for thereason that it leaves both' hands, free to control the spark lever andsteering mechanism, and additionally, because the foot acceleratorautomatically throttles down the motor when pressure thereupon isrelieved.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an additional footoperable means for controlling the gas supply, Such means being locatedupon the same side of the center of the car as the usual accelerator butlaterallv spaced from such accelerator whereby the river may use eitherfoot for control lin the speed of the motor.

further object of the invention is to provide means of the characterabove mentioned which may readily he attached to practically anyvehicle, and which. preferably. may be thrown out of operation wheneverdesirable.

The above 'andA other objects of the invention may be accomplished bydevices which vary considerably in their specific form, although,preferably, the invention takes the form of f a readily attachablemechanism which may be operated by the left foot, when, as is customary,the accelerator upon the vehicle is operated by the right foot,

Fig. 2 is a perspective of a modified structure, y

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the form shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a top plan of a still furtherv lthe steering mcchanism,indicated at 13.

Immediately adjacent the brake .pedal 11, as is customary, is shown theaccelerator pedal 14 which consists of a rod extending through the footboard to a bell crank lever 15 which, in turn, is connected by means ofa. link 16 to the carbureter valve (not shown).v That portion of thedisclosure above described is old and Well known in the art and is shownin the drawings to illus trate the relation of the invention to theusual mechanism of a motor vehicle.

The accelerator pedal 14 being positioned to the right of the brakepedal and in front of the drivers seat is operable by the right foot ofthe driver. The additional means for .controlling thc gas supply shouldbe placed in convenient position for the drivers left foot, and such aposition, for instance, may he on the opposite side of the clutch pedal12 from the customary single foot accelerator 14. Of course, the exactposition of the additional controlling means may be varied somewhat, itbeing simply necessary that it he on the same side of the center of thecar as the usual accelerator, which is ordinarily placed in 4position soas to be operated by the right foot.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 4 this additionalmeans comprises a rod 17 extending through the foot board and having apedalportion 18. Beneath the foot board the rod is connected to theaccelerator mechanism of the vehicle; and in the present instance thisis effected by securing the same in an opening 19 (Fig. 4) of a two-partclam 20 which engages the accelerator rod 14 1n an selected positionwhich will vary in di erent makes of teeth 22 to engage the rod 14 toprevent accidental movement of the clamp and the left foot acceleratorpedal. In order to apply this mechanism to the vehicle it is simplynecessary to provide an additional opening in the foot board and toconnect the rod 17 and the accelerator rod 1:4 by means of the clamp 20,the part of the rod to be y engaged by the clamp being dependent uponthe relative size and position of the parts, which will vary indifferent types of vehicles.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 there is shown in these views the foot board10 together with the brake pedal 11, the clutch pedal 12 and acceleratorpedal 14 in position to be engaged, in the present instance, by theright foot ot' the driver. A rock shaft 23 extends transversely of thecar, in the present instance above the brake and clutch pedals, and hasbearings in brackets 24 which are secured to the foot board as by meansof screws 25. An arm 26 is ixedly lmounted upon the shaft but may beadjusted longitudinally thereof if desired, since it is held in positionby means of a set screw 27; and carries a cross-head 28 above theaccelerator pedal 14. By having the arm adjustable longitudinally of therod it is not necessary to locate the bearing brackets 24 with accuracysince the ,arm itself may be adjusted along the rod so that the arm isplaced in suitable position above the accelerator pedal. 'lhe lrodrshaftis operated by means located in convenient proximity to the left foot ofthe driver; such means may take the form of a pedal 29 fixedly securedupon the rock shaft, as by means of a set screw 30 which permits thelever to be adjusted longitudinally ofthe shaft to accommodate thedevicev to different types of vehicles.

When the operator is using the accelerator edal 14 the same may beactuated by pressing the foot upon the crossA head 28, or rather, thatportion of the cross head which is not positioned above the pedal. Or,if he prefers, the rock shaft together with the arm 26 and lever 29 maybe rotated to throw the arm and pedal upwardly to remove the cross barfrom above the pedal 14.

Still another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. 5 and 6,wherein 10 indicates the foot board and 11', 12', respectively, theslotstherein for the brake and clutch levers. In this iigure the acceleratormechanism, which is shown as positioned beneath the foot board,comprises a leverf31 fulcrumed in a bearing bracket 32'secured to theunder surface of the floor board. The lever has a laterally extendingarm 33 provided with a terminal yportion 34 projecting upwardly throughthe foot lboard to connow to be described. A clamp or other suitablesecuring means 37 is fastened to the extension 35 of the acceleratorlever 31 and has an eye 38 into which is inserted the end of a rod 39having a pedal portion 4() projectingthrough anopening 41 in the footboard on t-he opposite side of the clutch slot 12 from the acceleratorpedal 34. The rod 39 may be held in position in the clamp eye by meansof a set screw 42 which allows adj ustment of the rod toward and fromthe accelerator pedal 34 in order to permit the addition'all pedal to beplaced in position convenient for the operator. i No claims specific tothe form of-the invention illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 are presentedin this application, since the form is covered specifically by thecopending application Serial No. 656,915, filed August 11, 1923.

It will be understood that the invention might be embodied in mechanismsdiffering considerably from the devices illustrated in the drawings andherein described in detail. lt will be observed', however, that therelare two distinguishing features of the invention, namely, the manner inwhich it lends itself to ready application to a vehicle, and thesimplicity of its construction. These, however, are notthe essentialfeatures of the invention, which consists broadly, in means positionedadjacent the drivers seat conven-4 ient for use by the other vfoot ofthe driver from that which operates the usual foot accelerator.

I claim:

1. In an automobile having brake and clutch pedals, the combination withthe usual accelerator having a foot operated pedal positionedsubstantially in front of the drlvers seat, of additional means forcontrolling the gas supply positioned on the floor ot the car on thesame side of the longitudinal center of the car with the drivers seatand spaced laterally from said accelerator pedal whereby either oot of adriver may be used to control the gas supply, said means beingoperable'independently of the clutchl and brake pedals.

2. In an automobile having b1" ke and clutch pedals, the combinationwith the usual accelerator having a foot operated pedal positionedsubstantially in front of the drivers seat, of additional means foroperating said accelerator positioned on the oor of the car on the sameside of the longitudinal center of the car with the drivers seat andspaced laterally from said accelerator pedal whereby either f oot of adriver .may

soI

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.celerator pedal be used to controlA thegas supply, said means beingoperable independently of the clutch and brake pedals.

3. In a motor vehicle having brake and clutch pedals. the combinationwith an acpositioned adjacent the drivers seat, of an attachmentcomprising` a rock shaft extending transversely of the car, an arm onthe Shaft operatively associated with the accelerator pedal, a pedal onthe shaft spaced `laterally pedal on the same side of the longitudinalcenter of the car With the said accelerator pedal and independent of thebrake or clut'ch pedals, whereby either foot of the driver may be usedto control the gas Supply and without actuating the brake or clutchpedals.

4r. In a motor Vehicle having brake and clutch pedals, the combinationwith the usual accelerator pedal positioned adjacent the drivers seat,.of means for selectively controlling the gas supply by either foot ofthe driver, comprising a rock shaft extending; transversely of the car,an arrn on the from said acceleratorv shaft extending over andcontacting with the accelerator pedal, a pedal on theshaft spacedlaterally same .side of the longitudinal center of the car as the Saidaccelerator pedal and independent of the brake and clutch pedals.

. 5. In a motor vehicle having brake and clutch pedals, the combinationwith the usual accelerator pedal positioned adjacent the drivers seat,of means controlling the gas supply by either foot of the driver,comprising a rock shaft extending transversely of the car, an arm on theshaft operatively associated with the accelerator pedal, a pedal on theshaft spaced laterally from said accelerator pedal on the same side ofthe longitudinal center of th car as the accelerator pedal andindependent of the brake and clutch pedals, said pedal and armbeingrelatively adjustable longitudinally of the sha-ft.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set m hand.

y FRANK T. FRIDRICII.

for selectively from said pedals on the f

